Angels manager Phil Nevin reflects on difficulty competing against his son

BALTIMORE — Phil Nevin endured two agonizing moments Friday night.

Of course, it was difficult for the Angels’ suspended manager to watch from a suite when his team gave up three runs in the bottom of the ninth to lose to the Baltimore Orioles.

A couple innings earlier, though, he was in a different kind of miserable spot. The Angels were holding a 3-1 lead in the seventh inning. The Orioles had runners at first and third and no outs.

And Tyler Nevin was at the plate.

“I hated it, to be honest with you,” Phil Nevin said Saturday morning.

Tyler had already come to the plate two earlier times, but not in such a high-leverage situation.

Quijada ended up striking out the younger Nevin, his first of three consecutive strikeouts to escape the jam.

“It’s hard,” Phil Nevin said of his mixed emotions watching his 25-year-old son compete against his team. “He’s my son, my blood son, but I’ve got 26 others who are in here who are under me. We’re trying to win. He understands that too.”

Tyler Nevin, who has played primarily third base this season for Baltimore, came into the game hitting .181 with two home runs and 14 RBI in 127 at-bats.

Phil Nevin said he was unsure how his feelings would change Saturday, because his 10-game suspension finally ended and he was able to be in the dugout.

Phil and Tyler brought out their teams’ lineup cards before the game and posed for a photo with the umpires.

Today's lineups presented by the Nevin family pic.twitter.com/RecNjV0GYq

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) July 9, 2022

His position as a manager/father notwithstanding, Phil Nevin was happy to have served the time from his suspension, which stemmed from the Angels’ fight against the Seattle Mariners on June 26.

“It’s been tough,” Nevin said. “It’s felt like a month, but it’s over and done with. It’s behind. It will be exciting to be back in the dugout today.”

PITCHING PLANS

The Angels have set Noah Syndergaard and Shohei Ohtani for Tuesday and Wednesday, the first two games of the series against the Houston Astros at Angel Stadium.

Although the Astros have not settled on their rotation, it’s possible Ohtani would be matched up against Justin Verlander in a rare duel of MVP pitchers.

The Angels are uncertain who will pitch the series finale Thursday. It would be Chase Silseth’s turn, but the Angels could also skip Silseth until after the All-Star break and come back with Reid Detmers on five days’ rest.

Nevin said he was impressed with Detmers on Friday, when he pitched six scoreless innings.

“I love what he did last night,” Nevin said. “I want to build on his confidence. We’ll see how it lines up, which day he would go.”

VILLAR AT THE TOP

Nevin put Jonathan Villar in the leadoff spot because traditionally he’s been successful there. He’d started there more than any other spot in the lineup, with a career .333 on-base percentage and .744 OPS in that spot.

Through his first five games with the Angels, he was 5 for 21 with one walk in the leadoff spot, a .273 on-base percentage.

Nevin pointed out that the quality of Villar’s at-bats has been good, despite the results. Also, he said he deserves a little more time to be evaluated because he had been out for more than a week after the Chicago Cubs designated him for assignment.

“I think it’ll continue through probably (Sunday) and then we’ll evaluate on the off day,” Nevin said.

UP NEXT

Angels (LHP José Suarez, 1-2, 4.30) at Orioles (RHP Austin Voth, 0-1, 7.20), 9:05 a.m. Sunday, Peacock, 830 AM